[aesop_content color=”#ffffff” background=”#feffff” columns=”2″ position=”none” imgrepeat=”no-repeat” floaterposition=”left” floaterdirection=”up” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]I’ve been that person who’s looked at someone elses success and thought what’d they have that I don’t, that got them to that level? It was exhausting, especially in this blogging community where numbers talk and well, that’s about it; NUMBERS. The kind of numbers I don’t have but that hasn’t stopped me. I haven’t thought like that in years and I think part of it is just growing up. Realizing that the only thing I have control over is my reaction, attitude and thoughts to the things that happen to me or around me. For about 3 years I had this saying on my wall; God grant me courage to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things that I can and wisdom to know the difference. It is now engrained on my very existence. I had to change my thoughts from “why them, not me?” to that’s awesome for them and what’s for me is for me and will come. It took a good year of positive self-talk to get to that place. Every now and then I still feel a twinge of jealousy here and there, I am human after all, but I don’t let it consume me to the point of questioning everything and trying to be something I’m not to fit the “success” mold. I’m lucky that the people who read this blog and follow my passion here at Fashion Steele NYC have grown up with me. Y’all were here when I was broke and could only thrift. Y’all were here when I barely posted and for every pay raise and change. Every change isn’t voiced but as I get older you all have gotten older with me. Everyone is not so lucky to have a tribe like that and I’m grateful. It’s not easy to come by.
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Blogging is a serious passion of mine. It doesn’t yet make me enough money to live off of but it really isn’t about the money. I was blogging when there was no money in it. When it was just self expression and comments and a way to connect with like minded people. It felt nice to be apart of this new and exciting community. Of course I do love that it has become an extra source of income (we should all be able to make a wage off of our passions) but it’s more about investing in yourself. About 50-65% of the money I receive from Fashion Steele NYC goes right back into it; whether that be money for shoots, updating my wardrobe, website fees and maintenance, camera and laptop updates and equipment and more. I paid for my trip to Morocco in it’s entirety with money made from Fashion Steele NYC and while yes it was an amazing vacation, it also served as a business trip for content creation as well as sourcing for an upcoming business venture.

Investing in yourself doesn’t just apply to blogging or your work though, it applies to life. Are you putting in the work needed for what your vision of success looks like? Or are you scrambling trying to keep up with the imaginary Jones’? Wanna know a great way to really make yourself feel shitty? Compare yourself to people. No actually don’t do that and if you’re doing that stop. I am literally so focused on me and creating a space that is authentically and unapologetically me while still being relatable, interesting, thought provoking and visually stimulating that I can’t see anyone but me. And maybe that’s a little self centered but it’s kept me in check and off the comparison cliff. Are you taking the mental time off that you need to be 100%. Are you doing something that you love everyday to feed your spirit? I’ve been grinding so hard on Fashion Steele NYC because I have a deep love and passion for it, but sometimes I have to remind myself that I need to eat. I need to take an hour and read because I love reading and it’s been put on the back burner. I need to take care of my body too because if I’m not 100% mentally and physically, if I’m not investing in myself, how can I expect anyone else to invest in me? Take time for you. In these times, it’s almost detrimental if you don’t.

I completely agree with you. Being in this industry can really make you start to doubt yourself and all of your hard work. While we are human and it does happen, like you I try to focus on myself and how far I have come since I started.

Thank you for taking the time to read it. It’s important that we stop the comparison game, its not healthy for any of us. And we are only ever getting a small snapshot into someones life and it’s usually just the highlights.

I used to compare my progress with that of people around me and it definitely made me feel less of myself. It wasn’t easy to stop bit I learned that we all have our own race to run, so I have decided to focus on mine and work on being the best version of myself.
I love the outfit and your shoes